[Park] SKYWARN Recognition Day

[Dave at RR]

Ladies and Gentlemen...

SKYWARN Recognition Day is less than a week from now.  It
runs from 0000 to 2400 UTC on December 7, 2002.  There
are currently 106 NWS stations registered to participate.
The office in Seattle sent an entry today, and that has not
been posted to the web site (hamradio.noaa.gov) yet.  That
makes the total number 107 stations - great!

Before going over basic operating procedures, here's some
odds and ends:

  The station in Tampa will operate from the Tampa Bay
  Hamfest at the Manatee County Civic Center.  Representatives
  from the NWS office will attend the convention and help
  get the station on the air. This is the third consecutive year the
  Tampa station has been able to join the Tampa Hamfest.
  SKYWARN operators and representatives from the West
  Central Florida ARRL section do a great job with this every year.

  SRD got some internal recognition in the NWS this week.  An article
  in the NWS Focus publication about SRD dovetailed with an
  article about SKYWARN efforts at the Northern Indiana office.

  The web site was updated today.  Thanks to everyone who sent
  suggestions and corrections.  The endorsement checklist is
  undergoing some slight modifications, and it will be on the web
  tomorrow.

Now, here is a basic summary of operating procedures you should follow
during the event. This includes special Pearl Harbor Day instructions.

- When you make a contact, exchange signal report, QTH, and current
weather.  For example, "Your signal report is 59 from the NWS office
in Goodland, Kansas.  The weather is sunny."

- Special Pearl Harbor Day instructions.  Since SRD occurs on Pearl
Harbor Day this year, we're going to do something special.
>From 1800-1900 UTC (roughly, the time of the attack), we will
not exchange local weather.  Instead, exchange signal report, QTH,
and the 1941 Pearl Harbor weather.

Based on 1941 ship logs and climatology, we are estimating the Pearl
Harbor weather to be:  mostly sunny, north winds at 10 mph, and a
temperature of 71 degrees.  An example of the exchange would be:
"Your signal report is 59 from the NWS office in Goodland. The weather
at Pearl Harbor in 1941 was mostly sunny with north winds at 10 mph
and a temperature of 71 degrees."  You'll probably get some questions
about this.  Just explain that SRD occurs on Pearl Harbor Day this year
and we are recognizing the sacrifices of the men and women at
Pearl Harbor that day. Again, this only happens from 1800-1900 UTC.

To qualify for the Pearl Harbor Endorsement on the certificate, hams
must work any one NWS office between 1800 and 1900 UTC
AND the NWS office in Honolulu at any time during the event.

Finally, I will speak to the organizer of a Pearl Harbor special event
station tomorrow to see if we can integrate both activities. I'll let
you know what is decided.

- When operating CW, PSK-31, or any non-voice mode, append
/NWS to your call sign.  For example, N0A/NWS.

- Repeater and IRLP contacts are allowed - in fact, they are encouraged.

- As always, observe good operating practices.  Also, remember this is
not a amateur radio contest.  If you make contact with a SKYWARN
operator who wants to "chew the fat" about a big storm last year, great!

Take some time, listen, and show your appreciation about his or her
efforts.

- Every so often, you'll get a question about SRD.  Here's a good
response: "This is a special event for SKYWARN Recognition Day
cosponsored by the ARRL and the National Weather Service.  To
recognize the contributions that amateur radio operators make to
the NWS during critical weather, SKYWARN operators
at over 100 National Weather Service offices are on the air today."

Here's another good answer: "You can find details about SKYWARN
Recognition Day at http://hamradio.noaa.gov or in the November
edition of QST magazine - page 83."

- If you get any questions about event certificates, inform them the
certificate dimensions are 8 1/2 x 11.  Operators must send an SASE with
a list of NWS stations they worked (or, the endorsement checklist).
Send the request via WX0GLD or to 920 Armory Road,
Goodland, Kansas 67735.

I'll send daily emails the rest of this week.  They'll cover QSL
instructions, logging procedures, and last minute items.

Scott Mentzer
Meteorologist-in-Charge
NWS Goodland, Kansas